Material dispensing device



June 26, 1962 E. L. BUMP MATERIAL DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1959 INVENTOR. EDWARD L. BUMP BY MFA ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 E. BUMP MATERIAL DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 24, 1959 INVENTUR. EDWARD 1.. BUMP BY Mfr/2%.?

ATTORNEY United States Patent-O amass? MATERIAL DEPEIQSENG DEVME Edward L. Bump, hehoygan, Wis. (1314 La Salle St., .l'anesville, Wis.)

Filed Aug. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 835,704

2 Claims. or. 22s s2 paper however these devices either did not permit the oper ator to sequentially obtain diiferent lengths of strip material or else were not capable of dispensing the modern flimsy delicate material without jamming up or tearing the material rendering both device and material useless.

Although the problem of dispersing sequentially different lengths of material has existed and has been solved for given materials such as series connected strip tickets,

nevertheless these known devices either disrupt the even flow of the modern flimsy low tensile strength material through the device or else when actuated to stop the flow of material through the device grasps it so roughly that it rips or tears at undesirable places.

In accordance with the invention claimed a new and improved dispensing device is provided which adequately disperses rough paper hand towels, flimsy film like plastic material or delicate low tensile toilet paper in any predetermined length. The claimed device comprises a housing having rotatably mounted therein a roll for supporting the material. The housing is provided with an arcuate guideway around at least a part of the inner periphery of the housing which guides the material from the roll through the housing and out of an opening therein to the user. The guideway is contoured to provide an indentation which may, if so desired, house a resilient rubber like pad arranged slightly below the surface of the guideway so that the material freely passing over the surface of the guideway does not engage the resilient pad. Mounted within the housing near the guideway adjacent the indentation housing the resilient rubber like pad is arranged a braking lever which when actuated causes a surface at one end thereof to press'the material against the indentation or rubber like pad to stop its movement through the dispenser. This braking lever is pivotally mounted so as to be actuated by the material passing through the dispenser over another end thereof when the direction of movement of the material is changed from one predetermined direction to another predetermined direction. The braking lever is arranged to be pivotally mounted at one of a plurality of places along its length so as to vary the braking force applied to the material at the rubber like pad according to the type of material being dispensed.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a new and improved dispensing device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dispensing device in which low tensile strip 3,04%,943 Patented June 26, 1962 A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dispenser in which a braking lever may be pivotally mounted in a plurality of difierent positions to vary the braking force applied to the material according to its physical characteristics.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dispensing device in which the geometrical configuration of a guideway arranged within the dispenser housing gently guides the unrolling material through the housing out of the dispenser with a minimum of resistance.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device a"- ranged to be built into a wall and embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 illustrates the structure shown in FIG. 2 with the dispenser cover opened for receiving'a roll of material;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view with'parts broken away of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 2 of the dispensing device illustrating a modification of the material braking mechanism;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial view of the braking mechanism shown in FIG. 6 inthe material disengaged position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 7 in the material engaged position;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to that shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 showing the braking mechanism in its two extreme positions with the braking lever pivotally mounted at a different point along its length;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial view of a modification of the braking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2 employing a material cutting edge;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a material rotatably mounted supporting means for use in the dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of a modification of the structure illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective View of a modification of the structure shown in FIG. 1 for use with rolls of material of a wider width; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a further modification of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 13 for mounting on the surface of a wall.

Referring more particularly to the drawings by characters of reference FIGS. 1-5 illustrate one embodiment of the invention wherein the dispensing device 15 com- 18 for mounting the dispensing device on or in a wall 21.

The housing is shown with a hood or cover 22 which preferably is hingedly mounted at 23 to flange 20 adjacent the edge of the opening in wall 21.

Cover 22 is provided with a pair of fixedly mounted arcuate shaped arms 19 which slidably move through openings 19 and engage the back 17 and flange 20 to help support cover 22 when the cover is in its open position as shown in FIG. 3. The hood or cover 22 may be composed of the same material as the contoured back of the housing or it may be formed of any other material aci s is whether opaque or transparent. Slots or apertures 24 and 24 are arranged in cover 22 for viewing or handling the material within the dispensing device as hereafter explained.

Cover 22 when in the detached position is pivoted to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 and when in the covering position is pivoted to the position shown in FiG. 2. Cover 22 is attached to flange to hold it in its covering position by any suitable clamping means. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 a protruding edge 25 of cover 22 slips under a contoured spring biased catch 2-6 which holds the cover in its closed position.

Side walls 27 and 23 of cover 22 are each provided with slots 29 which form journals for a roller mounted therein for supporting a roll of material 67 to be dispensed. The material may be supported in any way within housing 16. FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate two possible rollers which may be used to support the roll of material d7. The structure shown in FIG. 11 comprises a four sided roller 3%; having a flange 31 arranged around one end thereof and a pair of pins 32 extending out of each end thereof. If desired one or more of the pins 32 may be spring biarsed as shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 12 illustrates a cylindricaltype roller 33 having spring biased pins 34. As Well known in the art the material dispensed may be arranged on a suitable support or roller and short cylindrical bodies having pins such as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 may be inserted in each end of the roll of material to support it in the journals formed by slots 29.

Material 67 dispensed by device 15 may be of any type for example, paper, plastics, fiber, rubber or metal strips as the case may be. However, this device is so arranged that it disperses adequately in a new and improved manner rolls of paper or other rolled toweling material, relatively flexible and limp materials such as, for example, transparent plastic Wrap, and flimsy low tensile material such as modern frail rolls of toilet paper, each Whether perforated or not. The material 67 for use in the structure shown in FIGS. 1-5 is preferably perforated transversely of its length at intervals so as to divide the rolled strip of material into sheets of definite length. The rolled material may rest freely on the rollers or 33 or may be held firmly on the rollers which rollers then are freely rotatably mounted in slots 29 forming the journal for the roller pins. The rolled material is thus adapted to be unwound by pulling the strip material in single or plural ply out of an opening 36 formed in cover 22 of the dispensing device 15.

The material i guided out of housing 16 through a guideway 37 formed within the housing and more particularly within cover 22. Guideway 37 may be of any geometrical configuration but is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as being of an arcuate shape and comprises a guiding surface 38 having edges 39 and 4t projecting thereabove for restricting the movement of the material transversely of the guideway. Edges 39 and til may flare outwardly at the entrance end 41 of the guideway as shown in FIG. 5 for directing the material into the guideway.

Guideway 37 may be detachably mounted within cover 2 2 by means of a spring clip 43 mounted on the under portion of guiding surface 38 adjacent opening 36 of cover 22. Clip 43 grips the edge of cover 22 and holds the guideway 37 firmly thereto at the guideways exit end. The entrance end of the guideway is attached to the sides 27 and 28 of cover 22 by a pair of pins 44 one of which is shown in FIG. 5. Pins 44 fit into suitable openings or apertures 45 insides 27 and 28 of cover 22 to firmly position the entrance end of the guideway in the cover structure.

Guideway 37 is provided with an indentation 47 in its guiding surface 38 which may extend all or only a part of the Way across its length. This indentation as shown in FIGS. 1-5 comprises a concave surface which may be roughened by ridges or grooves or in any other suitable A manner for readily gripping the material when forced into it by a braking mechanism.

As shown in FEGS. 69 a pad 48 formed of, for example, a resilient rubber like material may be mounted Within the indentation below the arcuate surface 33 of the guideway 37 so that the material may freely pass over surface 3% without normally engaging the friction like surface of the pad.

In order to stop the normal flow of the material through the dispensing device firmly but with such gentleness that even the most frail material is not damaged a braking mechanism 49 is arranged within housing 16 and more particularly cover 22 and comprises a composite braking lever 50. Lever Sti is pivotally mounted by pins 51 to the sides 27 and 23 of cover 22 in suitable bearing like apertures 52. Lever 5h as more clearly shown in FiGS. 7-9 comprises a trough-like structure which has a material guiding surface 53 and edges 54 extending transversely from surface 53 at the sides thereof. At one end of lever 5th adjacent the indentation 47 is arranged a braking surface 55 which may have a convex configuration for engaging the resilient pad 48 or the concave surface of indentation 47, as the case may be. The other or lower end of lever 50 is provided with an arcuate bearing surface 6%.

Lever 5% is so arranged within cover 22 that the guiding surface 53 faces the guiding surface 38 of guideway 37 and the transverse edges 54- extend toward the transverse edges 39 and 40 of guideway 37 so as to retain the material within a given path formed by these guiding members as it passes out of the dispensing device.

Although lever Se is shown as pivotally turning within the bearing apertures 52 it may also be arranged to turn upon the pins 51. In this way a series of levers in a series of juxtaposed dispensers can all be threaded and turned upon the same rod. It is obvious that either form of construction may be employed with equivalent results so far as the action of the braking lever is concerned.

Lever 5% should be pivotally mounted so that the braking surface 55 when moved into the indentation bears against the material and forces it either against the roughened surfaces of the indentation or against the resilient pad 48 with sufficient force that the indentation surface or pad gently but firmly clinches or holds the material there preliminarily to tearing oil the end of the strip or roll outside of the dispenser.

Lever 50 is pivotally mounted and physically formed so that it readily moves to the material detached position, when released, by the action of gravity. As shown in the drawings the lever is mounted so that its exit end protrudes out of the opening 36 in housing 22 and the end (it) thereof being rounded so that the strip or roll of material may be drawn over and against that end without tearing or ripping. The material is retained within the trough of lever 5'6: by the edges 54 all the way through the braking mechanism to the end of the lever structure. A resilient bumper pad 61 may be provided on the braking end of lever 59 opposite to its braking surface 53 to keep the lever from knocking against the inside of the cover structure when returning to its material detachedposition.

In order to vary the force of the braking lever applied against the material in the indentation, lever 50 may be pivotally mounted in cover 22 at a different point along its length. This is an important adjustment if various material of different tensile strengths are to be dispensed by like devices. Frail toilet paper when dispensed must be firmly gripped by the pad by gentle force applied to it by the braking lever. This is accomplished by pivotally mounting the lever at a point close to its end es. To provide a greater force to the material the pivot point of lever 50 is moved closer to its braking surface end as shown in FIG. 9.

If desired, a material back brake 62 may be arranged any place in guideway 37 for example, adjacent its material entrance end. This check spring or back brake 62 prevents the possibility of the strip of the material slipping backwards into the housing, however, it is not essential to the successful working of the claimed device. The cut out portion or aperture 24 is provided in the cover 22 to permit the insertion of the users finger to slide the tissue on the guideway 37 so that it will extend out of opening 36. Thus the tissue may be pulled downward out of the dispensing device.

FIG. illustrates a tooth edge or severing strip 63 mounted or formed on the end 60 of the braking lever 50 for the purpose of effectively severing the web or strip of material if it is not perforated.

Although the outer shape of the housing 16 is not important to the efiicient functioning of the claimed device, FIGS. 1, l3 and 14 illustrate a few illustrations thereof. FIGS. 1 and 13 illustrate structures 15 and 65, respectively which are mounted partly within a wall structure while FIG. 14 illustrates a device 66 which is mounted on the surface of the wall.

The operation of the new and improved dispensing device is believed to be obvious. A roll of material is inserted over the roller and mounted Within cover 212 when the cover is opened as described. The exterior end of the roll is led through the guideway 37 between surface 38 of guideway 37 and the inside surface of cover 22. Then the material is guided between surface 53 of lever 50 and surface 38 through the opening 36 of cover 22. With the end of the roll of material sticking out of opening 36, the cover is closed. The material is now in position for use. To withdraw a given portion of the roll it is only necessary to seize the end of the roll and pull it downward and out of the dispenser until the desired length or number of sheets or bags is obtained. Then by pulling the strip in a second direction toward the end 60 of lever 50 the braking mechanism comprising lever 50 is actuated and it moves the material into the indentation where it is firmly held by the pad or roughened surface of the indentation. The material by being pressed against the surface of either the indentation or pad is firmly held while the material dispensed and outside of the device may be torn off at a given perforation or else sheared at a given point by the cutting edge of the device. When the material is torn off the pressure on end 60 of lever 55 is eliminated and the brake moves back under the action of gravity to its material disengaged position.

Because of the delicate nature of the braking action, i.e., the fact that the braking surface combines with the inner surface of the indentation or the pad to hold the material, all forms of the modern wrapping or wiping materials may be readily dispensed from this mechanism.

Although but a few embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A dispensing device for storing and handling rolls of material comprising a housing, means arranged within said housing for mounting a roll of said material, an arcuate shaped material guideway arranged within said housing for directing the material from said roll through a predetermined path to the outside of said housing, said guideway being provided with edges protruding above its surface for restricting the movement of the material transversely of said guideway, an indentation formed within said guideway, a resilient pad mounted within said indentation below the arcuate surface of said guideway, a lever pivot-ally mounted Within said housing and having a braking surface arranged at one end thereof adjacent said pad and a material guiding trough at the other end thereof, said other end having a material shearing edge, said material freely passing over said guideway between said pad and said braking surface and through said trough upon movement out of said housing, said material outside of said housing when directed in another direction bearing against the other end of said lever and rotating said lever thereby causing said braking surface to engage said material and bearing it against said pad, said lever holding said material and causing a shearing detachment of a portion of said roll of material lying outside of said housing, said lever upon release of said material outside of said housing pivot-ally moving back under the action of gravity to its material detached position.

2. A dispensing device for storing and handling rolls of material comprising a housing, means arranged within said housing for mounting a roll of said material, an arcuate shaped material guideway arranged within and detachably connected at one end thereof to said housing for directing the material from said roll through a predetermined path to the outside of said housing, said guideway being provided with edges protruding above its surface for restricting the movement of the material transversely of said guideway, an indentation formed within said guideway at one end thereof, a resilient pad mounted within said indentation below the arcuate surface of said guideway, a braking device mounted within said guideway at the other end thereof for restricting backward movement of said material into said housing, a lever pivotally mounted within said housing and having a braking surface arranged at one end thereof adjacent said pad and a material guiding trough formed along the length thereof and terminating at the other end thereof, said material freely passing over said guideway between said pad and said braking surface and through said trough upon movement out of said housing, said material outside of said housing when directed in another direction bearing against the other end of said lever and rotating said lever thereby causing said braking surface to engage said material and hearing it against said pad, said lever holding said material to cause detachment of a portion of said roll of material lying outside of said housing, said lever upon release of said material outside of said housing pivotally moving back under the action of gravity to its material detached position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,159,837 Handy Nov. 9, 1915 1,213,680 Nance Ian. 24, 1917 2,125,754 Steiner Aug. 2, 1938 2,211,210 Johnson Aug. 13, 1940 2,668,022 Fairfield Feb. 2, 1954 2,806,529 Bulman Sept. 17, 1957 2,834,646 Berg May 13, 1958 

